Resurrection
by tokkida
Summary: The last trace of Henry Bendix has been found: the files containing the identities of every one of his creations. The man to retrieve them? Midnighter.
1. Chapter 1

Title: Resurrection  
Author: tokkida (eosophobia on livejournal)  
Rating: PG-13  
Pairing: None really at the moment. Just the usual canon.  
Disclaimer: I don't own The Authority. Wish I did though. :(  
Summary: The last trace of Henry Bendix has been found: the files containing the identities of every one of his creations. The man to retrieve them? Midnighter.

* * *

The scuffle of boots on metal echoed throughout the Carrier as the team ran to converge in the briefing room. Jack stood with Angie in front of a large wall of movable monitors, keeping a keen eye on their subject: the building that held the infamous files of one Henry Bendix.

"I got here as soon as I could," Jenny panted, reaching into her back pocket for her crumpled pack of smokes. "What've you guys found?"

"Bendix's files are being stored here... under top surveillance." Jack replied, glancing over his shoulder at their leader.

Angie flicked one screen to the side and pulled up another, tapping the hologram with nimble fingers. "The files shouldn't be a problem to get to. Who's going in is." The Engineer sighed and turned around to face the other members of the team who had just made it. Midnighter stared at her with cold eyes. "I'm guessing that you'd like to be the one, Midnighter."

"Sure as hell I do," he snapped through gritted teeth, "You know what that bastard did to Apollo and me."

"As much as I'd love to give you the chance, Dad, I think someone with a level head in this should go," Jenny replied, puffing on her Marlboro.

Midnighter grunted, seething with rage. "We've been trying to find his files for how fucking long, and you're telling me that I shouldn't be the one to go? Who then? You?"

Jenny chuckled, flicking the butt of her cigarette to the side. "No, of course not. I'm just saying that someone who doesn't have as much of a deal in this should. Like Shen... or Angie."

Angie glanced at the girl, the look on her face reading "Huh?" "Jenny, you and the rest of us know that Midnighter is the man for the job. He can sneak in and sneak out like that," she replied, snapping her nano-skinned fingers.

"Thank you," Midnighter replied, relaxing his tense muscles. Apollo laid a hand on his husband's shoulder, kneading softly through the leather of his trench coat.

"So, I guess that's it then," Jenny said, pulling another crumpled stick of tobacco from her almost empty pack, "Dad goes. You leave in an hour."

Midnighter glared at his daughter and turned to leave, Apollo following him into the depths of the Carrier.

"You don't want me to go, either." Midnighter stated.

"Sure that's not a question?" Apollo replied.

Midnighter stopped dead in his tracks, turning to face his husband. "You really don't, do you?"

"Now, that's a question," Apollo smiled, halo shining radiantly.

"Angie already said that I'm the one for the job. I don't do anything unless I know the odds." he replied, tapping against his masked skull.

Apollo sighed, reaching up to caress his husband's stubbly jaw. "You know how I feel about this. We talked, remember? I just don't want you doing something you'll regret. Those files hold everything; our families, where we're from... our identities."

"And that's why we need them."

"Just do what you feel is right. I might hate it, but you're going to do it anyway. You always do."

"You know I love you, right?"

"That's why I put up with you," Apollo grinned. Midnighter punched him playfully and pulled his husband in for a quick embrace.

* * *

"Midnighter, we're going to keep a com-link open," Angie stated as she brought up an image of the bunker.

"That's really not nece.."

"I know, I know. In and out, that's what you do."

Apollo stifled a laugh and set to fixing the tracking device on his husband's ankle.

"Be careful, Dad. If you die, I'll just have you dug up and put back to work." Jenny stated, walking into the room with a cigarette pressed between her lips.

Midnighter glanced at his daughter and smiled, "Now who have we heard that from before?"

"Jenny Sparks told me stories about working with you. Never a dull moment."

"How could there be? She was enough of a bitch to cause some excitement."

Apollo slapped his husband's calf and locked the ankle device into place. "Language."

Midnighter grunted and crossed his arms as Angie turned to the family. "Okay, children. You

about ready to head out?"

"Never more," Midnighter replied, "I just want to get my hands on the last trace of that bastard's existence."

Apollo rose to his feet and put his hands on the leather clad man's shoulders. "I know I don't have to tell you..."

"I'll be careful, Mom."

"I love you."

"You too. Door."


	2. Chapter 2

"He's in."

The team stood around the wall of monitors, watching their warrior sneak through the first floor of the compound. A swift kick to the throat took out one guard and a swing of a bo staff destroyed three more, blood shining on the metallic walls.

"Mid should be fine. I'm going to bed," Apollo yawned.

"Good idea," Jenny agreed. "We're taking shifts watching the monitors, though. Shen, you're first."

The Buddhist nodded and pulled up a chair, propping her feet up on the circular table and settling in for her shift. The others filed out, ready for a hopefully restful night's sleep.

* * *

"Piece of cake," Midnighter laughed, sprinting up the first flight of stairs. A hoard of guards waiting for the intruder at the top were brought down in less than a minute in a mess of mangled limbs and organs. The computer in Midnighter's brain whirred, spitting out percentages and possible outcomes of his mission. 82% chance of guards being on the next floor. 79% chance of the files still being in the building. 100% chance that someone or _something_ was following him.

The black clad warrior spun into a graceful about-face, coat whirling behind him like a wave. A slight movement from above brought his eyes to the ceiling, catching sight of a slight glare off of a silver blade. The Midnighter reached into his trench, palming a throwing star. With a move like lightning, the jagged blade ripped through the air, embedding itself into a steel beam. "Shit," he scowled, "whatever that was... it's fast. Too fast." Deciding to forget about his stalker for the time being, he sprinted toward the next set of stairs, agile and quick like a panther.

From the shadows, a voice panted heavily, trying to catch its breath from the near fatal attack.

* * *

"I'm ready for my shift, Shen," Habib yawned. "Anything exciting happen?"

Shen chuckled, greeting her relief with a wave. "Not really. Just the usual. Although... watch him carefully. At one moment, he attacked, well, nothing. I'm not sure if someone's following him or not."

The Doctor nodded and shooed the exhausted woman away to bed. "Sleep tight." Habib dropped himself into the still warm chair and sighed. 'How long's this gonna take?'

* * *

Midnighter rushed through the guards on the top floor, thrusting them to the side in bloody heaps like the parting of the Red Sea. At the end of the narrow hallway, a barred door sealed his destination. Upon inspection, the warrior noticed a finger scanner. 'Heh, I think I know what to do here...' A sniffle sliced the silence like a hot knife through butter. Midnighter turned and spotted a lone guard crouched in the corner, head hidden between his drawn up knees. The leather clad man strode toward the frightened guard, eying his prey like a hawk. "So, buddy, wanna open that door for me?" Midnighter questioned as he stooped to look the man in the eye. The guard reached out with shaking fingers toward his gun that lay by his side.

In the blink of an eye, Midnighter stabbed the man's hand with a blunt dagger; the guard screamed, eyes wide in a mix of terror and pain. "You really don't want to do that."

A few moments later, the guard lay dead, blood soaking through his commissioned uniform. Against pleas of "Please, no! I... I have a wife and kids. Have mercy...," Midnighter did the only thing he could, stab the man in the chest four, maybe five, times and chop off his right index finger. "Thanks, buddy," Mid saluted and turned toward the barred door. He carefully pressed the digit to the fingerprint scanner, and the red security light turned green in a snap. The gears behind the door ground and whirred before finally separating in a loud 'pop.' "Finally."

{Midnighter, this is Habib. I see you've successfully reached your destination.}

{Spooky hearing someone in my head again. How long have I been gone?}

{About 2 and a half hours.}

{Damn, getting slow in my old age. Remind Apollo to kick my ass when I get back.}

"You've just made it?" A low alto cut through the darkness.

Midnighter glanced around quickly, trying to find the body attached to the voice.

"Yes, I camouflage nicely, don't I?"

"Show yourself."

"I shall in due time, Midnighter."

The confused man reached into his coat for his bo staff, pulling the weapon out and snapping it to full length.

"That's going to do so much on someone you can't see," the phantom laughed.

"I don't have to see you to know where you are," Midnighter growled.

"Or do you?" the voice whispered, hot breath ghosting over the warrior's cheek.

Midnighter spun, staring straight into piercing, green eyes.

"Hello, Midnighter. It's a pleasure to finally meet one of my father's creations."


End file.
